Resort Themes for Every Budget: Tropical
Everybody loves the idea of a tropical vacation with swaying palm trees and hammocks along the beach, and the iconic Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is usually the first resort that comes to mind when you think of “tropical Disney resorts”. But did you know that Walt Disney World actually offers that island vibe at several different resorts, in every resort category, and at various price points? Staying at a resort with a tropical ambiance can be more affordable than you think!
We’ll go through each resort category from most expensive to least expensive, and you’re sure to find a tropical resort that fits your budget. The prices listed here are full price, so be sure to check out Walt Disney World’s current Special Offers. You can often book all of these resorts at a discounted rate!
#1: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort / Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
Category: Deluxe | Resort View Room Price Range: $691-$1,256 per night
Category: Deluxe Villa | Standard View Deluxe Studio Price Range: $691-$1,256 per night
The Polynesian was one of Walt Disney World’s very first resorts, and it’s been delighting guests with its South Pacific spirit since 1971! Here, you’ll find lush tropical greenery, torch-lit pathways in the evenings, hammocks along a gorgeous beach with an incredible view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks, and hand-carved tiki statues. The Lava Pool features a volcano-themed pool slide and an elaborate splash pad that boasts a bamboo structure, thatched roofs, and even more tiki statues. The dining here is all Polynesian-style and some of the best restaurants in Disney can be found here. And if you’re looking for those special Disney character details, you’ll find Lilo, Stitch, and Moana decor in the newly-refurbished rooms and all around the resort. Guests are warmly greeted with a complimentary lei, and you can grab a Dole Whip from Pineapple Lanai any time you want!
Ideal For:
✦ Families of 5 (or 6 if one guest is age 2 or under).
✦ Guests who want to get to Magic Kingdom quickly - you can take the boat or monorail to Magic Kingdom, or walk to the Transportation & Ticket Center.
✦ Guests who plan to be in the parks during the day and spend the evenings at the resort. Nighttime is when the Polynesian comes alive, with Trader Sam’s, dinner at ‘Ohana, fireworks views from the beach (or even from your room!), glow parties and dance parties on the lawn, and so much more!
✦ Guests looking to add on some fun late-night extras like an After Hours event at Magic Kingdom, a Ferrytale Fireworks dessert cruise, or a private fireworks cruise can conveniently be back at your room at the Polynesian in a snap at the end of the night!
#2: Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Category: Deluxe Villa | Deluxe Studio Price Range: $474-$809 per night
Old Key West’s theming is so laid-back and relaxing! Here, you’ll find Jimmy Buffett music, Florida vibes, all things key lime, and palm trees everywhere. This resort hosts a weekly Sunset Celebration on Turtle Krawl to celebrate another day in paradise with a party inspired by the Mallory Square sunset celebrations in Key West, FL. They also host “Ahoy Matey Mondays”, where crafts, dance parties, games, and more are pirate-themed. The Disney character mascot at this resort is the classic Orange Bird, and he’s featured in the daily Character Hunt activity. While there isn’t technically a beach here, there’s plenty of sand. The Sandcastle Pool features a sandcastle slide with an iconic hidden Mickey, the huge playground and kiddie pool are surrounded by sand, and sand covers the Turtle Krawl activity area from the volleyball court to the fire pit. The Gurgling Suitcase always has a party atmosphere, and Olivia’s menu is full of Key West favorites. This resort is often available at deep discounts by renting DVC points!
Ideal For:
✦ Families of 4 (or 5 if one guest is age 2 or under) or large families looking for affordable 2 or 3-Bedroom Villas.
✦ Guests with a car - Old Key West has a lot of internal bus stops, so the bus transportation to the parks can be very time-consuming.
✦ Guests planning to spend a lot of time at Disney Springs will love the resort’s boat transportation to Disney Springs.
✦ Guests looking forward to lots of resort activities - between Community Hall, surrey bikes, sports courts, pool parties, and more, you’ll have plenty to do!
#3: Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Category: Moderate | Standard View Room Price Range: $268-$505 per night
Caribbean Beach is such a unique resort with some really special perks! The main Skyliner hub is located here, so you can easily hop on the Skyliner to get to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It’s also within walking distance to Disney’s Riviera Resort, which give you easy access to some of the best restaurants in WDW (including a character breakfast), the Eventi Room (great for rainy day activities), and a second Skyliner station. This resort really leans into the island theme with a pirate ship splash pad, seashell painting activities, Caribbean dining options, a live steel drum band, decorative cannons, sandy beaches, and lots of tropical greenery. You’ll find a lot of Little Mermaid touches here - Sebastian’s Bistro, the “Search for Sebastian” Character Hunt, and even some of the rooms have been recently refurbished to feature a subtle Little Mermaid theme.
Ideal For:
✦ Families of 5 (or 6 if one guest is age 2 or under).
✦ Families with younger kids & toddlers. The rooms here have less square footage than Deluxe rooms, and can feel tight with 4-5 adults or teens in one room. The “5th Sleeper” Murphy bed is smaller than a twin bed and intended for a child. And since you’re not staying at a Deluxe resort, you won’t have access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours (which isn’t a problem if your kids are too young to stay up for Extended Hours anyway).
✦ Guests that don’t mind walking a lot. This is a very spread out resort, and while you can get along fine without a car, your room can’t be close to everything. Depending on your room location, you may be a 15-20 minute walk away from the Skyliner station, the Fuentes del Morro Pool, restaurants, or the lobby.
✦ Guests who are planning a resort-hopping day. The Skyliner gives you easy access to Pop Century, Art of Animation, Riviera, Yacht & Beach Club, and BoardWalk. There’s even a cool Skyliner Scavenger Hunt you can complete as you visit all of these resorts!
#4: Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
Category: Value | Preferred Room Price Range: $167-$337 per night
Did you know there was a Value resort option that feels like you’re on beach vacation? The Surf’s Up! section of Disney’s All-Star Sports resort is a great, affordable option for anyone looking for a budget-friendly resort with a tropical theme. The caveat here is that the tropical theme is ONLY in the Surf’s Up! section, so you will need to book a Preferred Room and submit a room request asking to be assigned to this section. Unfortunately, there’s no way to absolutely guarantee that your room will be in a Surf’s Up! building, but you have 50/50 odds! This section is full of larger-than-life surf boards, enormous shark fins, and giant lifeguard shacks. There are fantastic beach chairs all over Surf’s Up!, and it’s a great resort to relax at with tropical drinks at Grandstand Spirits, a nightly campfire with marshmallows, and a Movie Under the Stars. And they offer great resort activities like a weekly block party, pajama parties in the lobby, Mickey Tie-Dye, and even a Make Your Own Beach in a Jar activity!
Ideal For:
✦ Families of 4 (or 5 if one guest is age 2 or under). Smaller families are best - these are small rooms!
✦ Guests that don’t mind the resort being a bit crowded and hectic - this is the go-to resort for school sports groups, and it’s possible that the food court, lobby, or pools could be overrun by groups of cheerleaders or high school sports teams when there are competitions scheduled. Luckily, this usually doesn’t impact your stay very much if you’ll be in the parks all day and have dining plans outside of the resort.
✦ Guests looking for a lot of variety. The 3 All-Star Resorts (Sports, Music, and Movies) are sister resorts, so when you stay at All-Star Sports, you actually get access to all 3! You can walk over to Music or Movies to look around, swim in their pools, join in resort arts & crafts, and eat at their food courts. And if you stick around for Movie Under the Stars in the evenings, you have 3 resorts and 3 different movies to choose from!
✦ Guests that are happy with bus transportation or have their own car - there’s no Skyliner, monorail, or boat access here.
